TIA

[Leatherneck]

Transient (brief) Ischemic (clot, not hemorrhage) Accident (?)

I had one this weekend, I guess. Drinking coffee Sunday noonish, I took a sip and my tongue started burning like somebody put liquid heat on my cup. Then my lip started buzzing, then my cheek, then the outside of my right arm, then the outside of my right leg. I ran to momma like a beat kid. It passed in about five minutes, and I went back to work in the shop.

Today, suspecting this warrants investigation, Leatherness called our GP for an appointment. They were like: "What, you didn't call 911?" So I started reading up on the internet and sure enough, we should have treated it somewhat more urgently.

Thinking back to December, the time where my eyes stopped working together and each wanted to look at something else for a couple of minutes was probably not simple eyestrain.

So tomorrow I again put myself in the hands of the truly excellent medical care we're blessed with. We'll see...

TC

[K Frame]

Transient Ischemic Attack.

NOT something to be ignored becase you never know if it's a TIA or if it's the real deal.

[Matthew Carberry]

Just gut it out you weenie. 

Glad you got on top of it, without Marines the world would have nothing to revolve around. 

[HankB]

DO NOT ignore this - TIA's are often an early warning sign of something much more serious!!

[Leatherneck]

Ok, I've been dumped back into the belly of the beast--the medical industry.

DISCLAIMER: I quit smoking this morning at 0700. K? We clear on that Maggot?

I get tomorrow a close examination of my carotid arteries by doppler. Followed, possibly, by either a stress echocardiogram, or a just-plain-ole-biscuits n' gravy echocardiogram. BTDT, have the sweaty t-shirt on the stress echo thing. Last time I used doppler it was to lock on an enemy aircraft. The brain MRI will be scheduled.

My BP was up-140/90 which is elevated even for old me. I remember when it was 90/60 and they wondered if I was actually alive.

YOU GUYS SHOULD REMEMBER THIS: I now take an aspirin a day to save my life. Doc was not at all tentative about this, just as he was direct about calling 911 the next time an *event* happens.  He said the aspirin will prevent platelets clinging and could save my life if another ischemic event occurs.

I DO NOT WANT A CIGARETTE!

I guess I'd say that if you want to go through life charging things that are enjoyable, then you better be ready to pay when the bill comes due.

OK, I don't want a cigarette ( I quit more than--oh, 12 hours ago) but can I stand downwind from you?

TC

[Felonious Monk/Fignozzle]

'Neck --
TIA Thanks In Advance (of any of my own attack) for than info re: TIA.
 

For Serious...hope it's nothing for you to be concerned with, or to ever happen again.
Fig

[garyk/nm]

Won't relay my family stories on TIAs, as you will not be the same. You WILL beat this!

ps: having a smoke right now just for you. Feel better?

[Leatherneck]

Butthead. I'm finding that I can go for long periods of time--as much as 10 or 15 seconds--without thinking about a smoke. I kind of hope that gets better over time.

Off to cash in on all those insurance premiums we've been paying all these years.

TC

[Leatherneck]

Had a full morning at the hospital: carotid sonogram, brain MRI, and echocardiogram. BP was down to 120/90, so I guess this is getting to be old hat. Next week: the neurologist to put all the pieces together.

Know what? after 31 hours of not smoking, I can see it will get easier. The difference for me was deciding--really deciding in my own mind-- that I don't smoke any more.

TC

[garyk/nm]

Leatherneck, I'm with you all the way on this; just joking about the smoke. Keep a positive mental attitude. You will beat this.

[Brian Williams]

I quit drinking 14 Mar 79 and smoking 23 May 80, Of all that I have done I miss smoking the most.  I was 3.5 to 4 packs a day. 

SemperFi
b

[Leatherneck]

Well the test results are back. Normal on carotid study, echo/stress echo of the heart normal. Brain MRI showed signs of microischemic activity. To the neurologist we go.

Two things I want you folks to take away from this:
1. An aspirin a day is a good idea. The docs were unanimous on this.
2. Don't ever ignore uncommanded brain activity. It is a 911 emergency.

And the good news is I'm not thinking about smoking every single waking moment--only about half the time!

TC

[wmenorr67]

Well congrats on the news so far.  Hope the rest is as good as well.

[MillCreek]

Speaking as someone who used to ride in the big red and white paramedic van doing patient care, the recommended daily dose of aspirin for most people is 81 milligrams, which is a baby aspirin.  i take an enteric coated 81 mg. tablet daily. 

Do not take aspirin if you think you are having a stroke or TIA.  If you are having a hemorrhagic stroke (blood leaking out from your cerebral blood vessels), aspirin can increase the bleeding.  If you are having an ischemic stroke (constriction or blockage of the cerebral blood vessels, usually by a clot), aspirin will be of little benefit.  For people suspected of having a stroke, one of the first things to do is a CT scan of the head to see what type of stroke (hemorrhagic or ischemic) you are having.  An ischemic stroke can be treated with 'clot busters', hopefully in enough time to save your brain.  This is why a stroke is a medical emergency: diagnosing the type of stroke soon enough to be able to use clot buster treatment as needed.

If you think you are having a heart attack, chew up and swallow four baby aspirin while calling 911.  The paramedics and ER docs will be impressed.

[cosine]

If you think you are having a heart attack, chew up and swallow four baby aspirin while calling 911.  The paramedics and ER docs will be impressed.

I always had the impression that chewing aspirin was kind of dangerous. Am I just the victim of some myth, or is the danger tempered by the emergency situation, or is it not a problem because you're talking about baby aspirin?

[MillCreek]

If you think you are having a heart attack, chew up and swallow four baby aspirin while calling 911.  The paramedics and ER docs will be impressed.

I always had the impression that chewing aspirin was kind of dangerous. Am I just the victim of some myth, or is the danger tempered by the emergency situation, or is it not a problem because you're talking about baby aspirin?

In an emergency such as a heart attack, chewing aspirin will allow it to dissolve and get into the bloodstream that much faster.  We recommend baby aspirin since that is usually flavored, and you can chew and swallow it without gagging or vomiting.  You can just as readily chew up a single 325 mg. aspirin tablet, but most people would find it too bitter and would not be able to swallow it readily.  Although I am in good health, I have a small bottle of baby aspirin in my home and car just for this purpose.

A lot of people have heard the 'take aspirin during a heart attack' advice but are a little fuzzy on the details.  The best example of that are the people who swallow an enteric coated tablet.  Unfortunately, due to the coating, that tablet will not fully dissolve for quite some time, possibly hours.  This makes it essentially useless during a heart attack. 

Chronically chewing aspirin over a long period of time can cause damage to the teeth and soft tissues of the mouth.  I could not imagine chewing aspirin if I could avoid it, but I guess some people do.

PS: I just did a search on Medline, and most aspirin-chewers do so because they have problem swallowing pills.  It would probably be better for them to crush the tablets and eat them with applesauce or pudding.